AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No,” I answer quickly before Beth can say anything else. “She’s not ill, Colleen.” I push Beth’s shoulder gently, my eyes wide and pleading. “Beth, please go.”
“Fine,” she mumbles, and with one last parting glare at Colleen’s back, she turns and leaves through the back door.
Ugh. It’s times like this I miss Gran most of all. A sick feeling fills my gut as the backs of my eyes burn.
Oh no, I’m doom-spiraling…
“Should I go help with the stew, too?” I ask Colleen suddenly, my voice high and my breath coming fast.
“No,” she says warmly, her eyes brightening with a smile. “Omega Cypress requested your company in her room as soon as you arrived home.”
Colleen’s always nicer to me than she is to Cleo and Beth. I’ve no idea why, but I’ll take it. She gives me the easy work, and compliments everything I do. I’m surprised the other two haven’t noticed and revolted against me yet.
“Elizabeth wants to see me?” I ask. I haven’t seen much of her in the past day or two. My understanding is that her pregnancy and the heat required her to rest as much as possible.
“Yes, and I’ve just made her a tray of tea,” she says, turning toward a glass jug of sun tea on the counter next to a silver tray holding a lone glass. “Will you bring it up to her?”
“Yes, of course,” I say as she pours the tea smoothly into the glass.
“Would you like me to include a glass for you, too?” she asks with a polite smile.
“Me?”
“Yes, would you like some tea? You walked so far, and it’s so terribly hot outside.”
She’s offering me a cool beverage? Is she playing a joke on me? But no, her eyes are blank and guileless as she waits for me to respond.
I shake off my confusion. “Uh, no, thank you,” I finally say. “I never drink tea.”
“Never?” she asks with a bemused smile, handing me the tray.
“Never.”
As I leave the kitchen behind and head up the stairs to Elizabeth’s room, I hold my breath to avoid breathing in the sharp scent of the tea. It’s not dianthus, but even basic black tea like this triggers something dark in me.
As much as I miss Gran, electricity, running water, and even Noah, I don’t miss tea.
24
Beta Grays
Hetty
Elizabeth’s room is dark and stuffy.
That’s not what’s strange, though. Everything is dark and stuffy these days. Even with the windows open and the sun shining, it constantly feels like the Goldenrod is shuttered closed … turning itself off.
No, what’s strange is how I find Elizabeth.
She’s been absent for days, and it would make sense if her pregnancy was slowing her down. I’m not sure how omegas and their nests work exactly, but I always thought they needed to stay close to it throughout their pregnancies.
So, I expect to find her lounging on her bed, maybe fanning herself languidly in a silk peignoir or something.
But no, she’s sitting at her window seat wearing her usual proper omega dress and fancy braids wrapped around her head, but rather than the heels or velvet slippers, she’s kneeled over, tying the laces of sturdy brown boots.
“Hetty,” she greets me with a wide smile, tightening the laces of her left boot. “How was it in town? Did they say anything useful?”
Against my will, Noah’s deep voice and sallow face reverberates through my brain.
